Container



D. D. VERTON m, ETM.

CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filwcl Jam. 16. 1968 DOLPHIN D. OVERTONJII RUDOLPH B. RUST! JR. WILUAM E HUGHES 1 ATTORNEYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 CONTAINER D. D. OVERTON Ill, ETAL Jan. 6, 1970 Filed Jan. 16, 1968 NSF INVENTORS DOLPHIN 0.ovERToN,m RUDOLPH B RUSTINMR WlLLlAM E. HUGHES an Q lndmoa ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,487,990 CONTAINER Dolphin D. ()verton HI and Rudolph B. Rustin, Jr.,

Mullins, and William E. Hughes, Marion, S.C., assignors to Overton Container Corporation, Mullins, S.C., a corporation of North Carolina Filed Jan. 16, 1968, Ser. No. 698,172 Int. Cl. B65d 13/04, 15/04, 55/06 U.S. Cl. 229-23 18 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A container is provided which may be used as a hogshead for tobacco and which has flat sides so the containers may be stacked on top of each other and rounded corners so that the containers may be rolled. The container includes a sleeve which forms the body of the container, and at least one removable end closure. The sleeve is scored to provide four (4) side walls joined by four (4) curved surfaces. Cleats are provided on the outer surface of the removable end closure and flaps are Provided across the top of each side wall. The flaps are folded over the cleats and held in position by securing means which may be wire fasteners, staples, or a retaining strip and groove combination.

This invention relates to containers. More particularly, this invention relates to containers which are convenient to store and handle when they are filled.

The containers of the invention are particularly well suited to be used as hogsheads for shipping tobacco. Throughout the specification, references will be made to the use of the containers as hogsheads, and certain prior art hodgsheads will be discussed. However, it should be understood that the invention may be utilized in the packaging of other materials as well as tobacco.

It is common practice in the tobacco industry to prize tobacco in large casks or hogsheads for shipment domestically and abroad. Prizing involves compacting a predetermined amount of tobacco into a hogshead, for example, by applying hydraulic pressure to compress the tobacco. After the tobacco has been packed under pressure in the hogshead, a lid is secured over the open end of the hogshead prior to shipment.

Frequently, hogsheads hold from 1200 to 1300 pounds of tobacco. The cylindrical shape of prior art hogsheads has enabled relatively easy handling of the heavy hogsheads by rolling the hogshead about its axis. However, the cylindrical hogsheads cannot be easily stacked on their sides and thus, problems are encountered in transporting and storing the cylindrical hogsheads.

It is desirable for economy of space to assemble hogsheads at the place where the tobacco is prized. Assembly at the prizing location avoids shipment and storage of the bulky empty hogsheads. While the prior art describes attempts to provide hogsheads which may be easily assembled at the prizing location, there has been a continuing search for strong lightweight hogsheads that are easy to assemble at the place where tobacco is prized.

Another criterion which is important in hogshead construction is the ease of removal of an end closure (head) for inspection purposes. It is frequently necessary to inspect the tobacco within a hogshead to see if it conforms to the accompanying description as to grade and type of tobacco. Present hogsheads when assembled do not all permit a ready inspection of the tobacco, and frequently are difficult to reassemble after inspection.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a new and improved container that is easy to as- 3,487,990 Patented Jan. 6, 1970 semble, and is convenient to store and handle when it is filled.

Another object of this invention is to provide a container that is easy to open for inspection of the c ntents, and also easy to close after inspection.

Another object of an embodiment of this invention is to provide a new and improved container which may be stacked on its sides for shipment and storage and yet may be rolled about it longitudinal axis for ease of handling.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a strong, inexpensive, durable container for packaging heavy loads.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide new and improved lightweight containers having suflicient strength to be capable of being stacked on top of each other even though they are packed with a heavy load.

A further object of an embodiment of this invention is to provide a container having a new and improved arrangement for fastening the container closure to the container.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

To achieve the foregoing objects and in accordance with its purposes as embodied and broadly described, the invention may be described as a container comprising a sleeve having at least two flat side Walls to permit the container to be stacked on its sides, at least two curved Walls with one of the curved walls extending between each pair of adjacent flat walls to permit the container to be easily rolled when placed on its side, and a plurality of flaps connected to the top of the sleeve; a bottom closure for closing the bottom of the container; securing means connected to the bottom closure to secure the bottom closure to the bottom of the sleeve; a top closure including a plurality of cleats mounted on the top surface of the top closure, with the cleats being positioned adjacent to the outer edges of the top closure and adjacent one of the flaps of the sleeve; and engaging means for securing the top closure to the sleeve when the container has been filled.

The top closure desirably conforms to the shape of and is slightly smaller than the cross-section of the sleeve.

Preferably, the sleeve has four flat side walls and four curved walls, and is formed from a foldable blank having groups of vertical score lines and a plane section separating each group of vertical score lines, with each of the groups of vertical score lines cooperating in the as sembled sleeve to form a curved wall surface and each of said plane sections forming a fiat side wall.

It is also preferred that the sleeve have fiaps on its bottom edge, that the bottom end closure be substantially the same size and shape as the top end closure, that the bottom end closure have cleats mounted on its bottom surface, and that engaging means secure the flaps on the bottom of the sleeve to the cleats on the bottom closure.

It is further preferred that the flaps and cleats be secured together by a wire fastener and that the flaps have hOles and the cleats have slots aligned with the holes to permit one end of the wire fastener to be inserted through the holes with the other end of the fastener extending over the top of thefiap, so that the two ends may be twisted together to secure the flaps to the cleats.

The invention may also be described as a container comprising a sleeve including flat side walls and foldable flaps at the top of the side walls, a bottom closure for closing the bottom of the container, means to secure the bottom closure to the sleeve, a removable top closure having straight side edges adjacent the foldable flaps;

a plurality of cleats attached to the top surface of the top closure and positioned parallel with and adjacent to the straight side edges of the top closure and releasable engaging means for securing the flaps in flush contact with the cleats to permit the top closure to be secured to the sleeve when the container has been filled and also to permit the top closure to be removed for checking the contents of the container after it has been filled.

Preferably, the releasable engaging means includes tie wires, holes in the foldable flaps, and slots in the cleats aligned with the holes to permit one end of a tie wire to be inserted first through one of the holes, then through the slot and finally through another of the holes. The other end of the tie wire desirably extends over the flap so that the two ends of the tie Wire may be twisted together to secure the flaps to the top closure.

The releasable engaging means may also be formed by a second cleat mounted on the top closure parallel to the first cleat and cooperating therewith to form a groove, and a retaining strip, mounted on the flap, which together with a portion of the flap may be forced into the groove to secure the flap to the end closure.

It is to be understood that both the fOregOing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory but are not restrictive of the invention.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements shown and described. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of a paperboard blank used to form the sleeve portion of the container of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the container of FIG. 1 with a portion of the end closure cut away;

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 3 illustrating the details of the engaging means;

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view of another embodiment of the engaging means of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view of another embodiment of the engaging means of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view of another embodiment of the engaging means of the invention; and

FIG. 8 is a partial sectional view of another embodiment of the engaging means of the invention.

Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 3, it may be seen that the container is a hogshead used for shipping tobacco. The container includes a sleeve 10 having four flat side walls 12, and four curved walls 14. Throughout the specification the terms curve and curved will be used to include both smooth line curves and curves made by a group of straight lines joined by obtuse angles. The flat side walls permit stacking of the container on top of each other and the curved walls permit the containers to be rolled when the containers are placed on their sides.

Sleeve 10 is formed from a blank, generaly 16, illustrated in FIG. 2. Blank 16 includes four spaced groups of vertical score lines 18. The spaces between the groups of score lines define four fiat panels that form the four flat side walls 12 of the container. Each group of score lines 18 forms a curved wall 14 (see FIG. 1) joining two adjacent flat side walls 12. Preferably, the spaces between groups of score lines 18 are of equal length so that the flat side walls 12 will have equal dimensions.

A e m P el 22 s p o ided at one end of blank 1 Seam panel 22 overlaps the other end 24 of blank 16 7 when the blank-is folded to form sleeve 10. Seam panel 22 may be joined to end 24 by any conventional means such as by staples and glue.

In accordance with the invention, the sleeve includes flaps 26 for securing onev or both of the closure members to the sleeve. As here embodied, eight flaps 26 are provided, one on the top and one on the bottom of each side wall 12. Two score lines 30 are provided on each flap 26 parallel to the edges of the'fiap. Score lines 30 facilitate the folding of the flaps as will be discussed in detail hereinafter.

Flaps 26 include a series of spaced, aligned openings 32 and 34. Each opening32 on the outer edge portion of the flap is aligned with an opening 34 spaced inwardly therefrom. Blank 16 may be formed from a variety of suitable materials such as fiberboard and corrugated paperboard which possess'suitable puncture, compression, and bursting strength.

In accordance with the invention, means may be pro vided at the top, bottom, or both edges of each of the curved walls 14 for sealing the closed container against the entrance of moisture or foreign matter. As here embodied and as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, these means comprise flaps 36 formed by score lines 38 disposed parallel to and adjacent the top and bottom edges of blank 16 at each of the four groups of vertical score lines 18. Each vertical score line 18 of each of the groups terminates at a cutout 40 which extends from the score lines 38 to the outer edge of the flaps 38.

As may be seen in FIG. 1, removable end closures 42 are provided at the top and bottom of the container. These removable end closures facilitate opening of the assembled container for inspection and permit the container to be easily closed after the contents have been inspected.

As illustrated'in FIGS. 14, end closures 42 conform to the shape of and are slightly smaller than the crosssection of sleeve 10. End closures 42 have four straight edges 44 and four curved edges 46. Adjacent pairs of straight edges 44 are each connected by a curved edge 46. The end closures 42 are sized to fit within the end of sleeve 10 with the straight edges of the end closures in snug contact with fiat side walls 12 of sleeve 10.

End closures 42 include a plurality of cleats 48 attached on thetop surface of the top end closure and on the bottom surface of the bottom end closure. Cleats 48 are positioned adjacent and parallel to each straight edge 44 so that one cleat 48 will be adjacent and parallel to one of the flaps 26 of sleeve 10 when the container is assembled. Cleats 48 may be attached to end closure 42 by any conventional fastening means such as by clinched nails 50 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. End closures 42 may be made of any suitable material. Preferably, the main portion is plywood, and the cleats are of hardwood.

FIG. 3 illustrates the relative positions of end closure 42 and flaps 36 in the assembled container. As may be seen, flaps 36 are folded inwardly and form an abutment for the inner surface of the end closures 42. This abutting relationship provides a seal against moisture and contamination for the container when the end closures are secured to the sleeve.

In accordance with the invention, engaging means are provided to secure flaps 26 of sleeve 10 to adjacent portions of end closures 42. Preferably, the engaging means are releasable, are easy to disengage for inspection of the contents of the container after it is filled, and are easy to re-engage after an inspection.

While the releasable engaging means are advantageously used with a container having the shape illustrated in FIGS. -1 and 3, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these releasable engaging means may be used with containers of other shapes as well.

A preferred embodiment of the releasable engaging means is illustrated in FIGS. 1-4. Here the releasable engaging means comprises a plurality of tie wire fasteners 54, and the flaps 26 and cleats 48 have aligned holes for receiving the wire fasteners. The flaps are folded along their score lines 30 so that one portion of the flap extends over the outside edge of the cleat, another portion extends across the top of the cleat, and a third portion extends over the inside edge of the cleats. The longitudinal score lines 30 of blank 20 are spaced apart a distance sufficient to ensure that flaps 26 may be folded to follow the contour of cleats 48. Cleats 48 each have three horizontal slots 52 extending through the cleat with the slots being positioned so that their ends will be in alignment with openings 32 and 34 in flaps 26. One end of a tie wire 54 extends through opening 34 of flap 26, through slot 52 of cleat 48 and out opening 32 of flap 26. The other end of the tie wire extends up the outside edge of the folded flap 26 across its top and down its inside edge where the two ends of the tie wire are twisted together. The insertion of the tie wires 54 through the cleats 48 and the flaps 26 at points spaced above the lower surface of end closures 42 advantageously precludes entry of moisture and foreign matter into the container, since the straight edges 44 of end closures 42 will be in snug contact with the inside of the flat surfaces 12 of sleeve below these openings.

FIGS. 5-7 illustrate three additional embodiments of releasable engaging means constructed in accordance with this invention. In each of these embodiments additional cleats are mounted on the end closure to cooperate with the existing cleats to form grooves, and retaining strips are attached to the flaps. The retaining strips are pressed into the grooves to secure the flaps to the end closure.

Referring to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, the releasable engaging means includes a cleat 62 which is similar to the cleat 48 of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 14 except that it does not have the horizontal slots. Cleat 62 is rigidly attached to the end closure 42 by fastening means such as clinched nails 64. A second cleat 66 is mounted on top of cleat '62 with a portion of cleat 66 extending inwardly beyond cleat 62 to provide an overhang 68 which forms a groove 70 between the top of closure 42, cleat 62, and cleat 66. Groove 70 preferably extends the length of cleat 62 and is disposed parallel to one of the straight edge portions 44 of end closure 42.

The container has a flap 72 at the top of its side wall 12. Flap 72 is similar to one of the flaps 26 of the embodiment in FIGS. 14, except that it is longer and does not include openings. A retaining strip 74, which is preferably the same length as groove 70, is attached across the outside of an edge portion 76 of flap 72. The thickness of the retaining strip 74 is slightly less than the height of groove 70. Consequently, flap 72 with retaining strip 74 attached thereto can be pressed into groove 70 after folding flap 72 about cleats 62 and 66. In the assembled container, flap 72 is held in flush contact with the surfaces of cleat 66 by retaining strip 74.

Preferably retaining strip 74 has a rectangular crosssection and is made of an essentially non-compressible material such as wood. Flap 72 is preferably made of a foldable and compressible material such as corrugated paperboard or fiberboard. The insertion of flap 72 and retaining strip 74 into groove 70 results in some compression of the flap and in the firm seating of the flap and the retaining strip in the groove. Attachment of retaining strip 74 to the flap 72 is by conventional fasteners such as wire staples 80.

The releasable engaging means illustrated in FIG. 6 is similar to that illustrated in FIG. 5. The difference in the embodiment of FIG. 6 involves the use of a larger flap 72 and folding the edge portion 76 of flap 72 into contact with three surfaces of retaining strip 74. When retaining strip 74 is pressed into groove 70, portions of flap 72 are positioned between the retaining strip and the groove on all three sides thus providing a greater amount of compressible material in the groove.

FIG. 7 illustrates another embodiment of the releasable engaging means of this invention. The releasable engaging means is comprised of a cleat 94 which is similar to the cleat 48 of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 14 except that it does not have the horizontal slots. A second cleat 96 is also mounted on end closure 42. Both cleat 94 and cleat 96 may be secured to end closure 42 by conventional fastening means such as clinched nails 98. Cleat 96 is positioned parallel to and a. spaced distance inwardly of cleat 94 to provide a groove 100 formed by the two cleats and the top of the end closure 42. Preferably cleat 96 is of the same height and length as cleat 94.

A flap 102 is connected to the top of each of side walls 12 of the sleeve 10 but is longer than flap 26 of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4. Flap 102 has a retaining strip 104 secured a short distance from its end by conventional means such as wire staples 110.

Retaining strip 104 is approximately the same length as groove 100 but is slightly smaller in width than the groove. The positioning of retaining strip 104 on flap 102 permits the strip to be pressed into groove 100 with portions of flap 102 extending between the strip and the groove. Insertion of flap 102 and retaining strip 104 into groove 100 results in some compression of the flap, and the firm seating of the retaining strip 104 in groove 100.

Retaining strip 104 preferably has a rectangular crosssection and is made of an essentially non-compressible material such as wood. Flap 102 is preferably made of a foldable and compressible material such as corrugated paperboard or fiberboard.

FIG. 8 illustrates a modification of the engaging means illustrated in FIG. 4. In the embodiment of FIG. 8, flap 26 and cleat 48 do not have holes or slots. Fastening means such as wire staples 112, are driven through flap 26 and into cleat 48 to secure the flap to the cleat. This embodiment is easier and less expensive to make than the embodiment of FIG. 4; however, it is less convenient to open. Thus, this embodiment may be used for the bottom of a container such as that illustrated in FIGS. 14 or for both the top and bottom of containers where it is not necessary that the container be opened for inspection purposes prior to the final unloading of the container.

The assembly of the container will be described with reference to FIGS. 1-4. The blank 16 which has previously been cut and scored may be stored flat prior to assembly. To assemble the container, blank 16 is first folded into a sleeve 10 with seam panel 22 overlapping a portion of 'end 24 of blank 16. Seam panel 22 and end 24 are then glued and stitched together.

Next, flaps 36 on the bottom of sleeve 10 are folded inwardly along score lines 38 into an overlapping but substantially horizontal position as illustrated in the cutaway portion of FIG. 3. The bottom end closure 42 is then placed in position with its inside surface abutting flaps 36 and with its sides inside of flaps 26. In this position, cleats 48 are adjacent to and parallel wth flaps 26. Next, flaps 26 are folded along score lines 30 so that the flaps extend up the outside of cleats 48 across their tops and down their insides.

One end of a tie wire 54 is then inserted through an opening 34 in one of flaps 26, on through slot 52 in cleat 48, and out opening 32 of the flap. The other end of the tie wire 54 is bent to follow the contour of the upper surface of the folded flap 26. The two ends of the tie wire are then twisted together and pressed toward the surface of bottom closure 42 and the end of folded flap 26, as best illustrated in FIG. 4. This procedure is repeated until each of flaps 26 has been secured by three tie wires.

When the container is to be filled with tobacco, a corset or other outside bracing is placed around the sleeve to insure that the shape of the container is preserved when the container is filled. After the container is charged with tobacco, the tobacco is compressed by application of a hydraulic press. With the container thus filled, the corset is removed and the top closure 42 is assembled in a manner similar to that described above with regard to the bottom closure.

Each curved wall 14 of the sleeve 10 has the configuration of a group of chords of a circle prior to the charging and compressing operations. These wall surfaces thereafter assume a smooth, curved configuration which smoothly connect adjacent flat side wall surfaces 12. The filled container is thus easy to roll when it is placed on its side.

If it is desired to inspect the tobacco after the container has been closed, the inspector simply removes tie wires 54, folds back fiaps 2-6 and removes top closure 42. After the inspection, the closing and securing of the container can be quickly accomplished.

With reference to the embodiments of the releasable engaging means in FIGS. 5-7, the operations involved in forming the sleeve and positioning of the end closures are the same as those described above and will not be repeated here.

To secure the end closure member 42 to the sleeve in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, flap 72 is folded along its score lines and retaining strip 74 is pressed into groove 70. It may be necessary, in order to achieve a snug fit, that retaining strip 74 be driven into position using a mallet or hammer.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6 the closing of the releasable engaging means is similar to that of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 except that the retaining. strip 74 is folded back on flap 72 as it is being inserted into groove 70. Flap 72 then surrounds three sides of the retaining strip when the strip is in the groove.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, flap 102 is folded along its score lines and then retaining strip 104 is pressed downwardly into groove 100 with flap 102 surrounding the three surfaces of retaining strip 104, which are in groove 100.

To remove the end closure 42 in each of the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 5-7, the retaining strip is pulled out of the groove. In each case this can be done by gripping the exposed ends of the retaining strip with a sharp instrument or the like.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8, the assembly of the container is identical to that described in relation to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 14 with the exception that when flap 26 has been folded along its score lines and pressed against cleat 48, a plurality of staples 112 are driven through fiap 26 and into cleat 48. If it is desired to open the container for inspection, the staples are removed and new staples are driven through the flap and into the cleat after the inspection has been completed.

While it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the relationship between the curved and straight sides of the container can vary and still achieve the objects of the invention, it is preferred that the fiat sides of the container be no more than 50% of the overall length of the side of the container on which they are formed. Thus, the flat side walls extend less than one-half the distance separating the adjacent opposing flat side walls whereby the length of the curved wall surfaces permits easy rolling of the container about its longitudinal axis. A particularly successful container has been one in which both the overall length and the overall width of the container are 44 inches. In this container the straight sections of the sides are 21 inches long, leaving 12 inches on each side of the straight sections for the curved portions. The curved portions are thus formed having a 12 inch radius.

In accordance with the invention, new and improved containers have been provided which are capable of being rolled on their sides for ease of handling and may also be stacked on their sides for shipment and storage. In another aspect of the invention, containers are provided that are easy to assemble, easy to open for inspection of the contents, and easy to reassemble after inspection of the contents. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations could be made in the containers of the invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details shown and described, but departures may be made from such details without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What is claimed is:

1. A container comprising: a sleeve having at least four (4) flat side walls to permit the container to be stacked on its sides, at least four (4) curved walls with one of said curved walls extending between each pair of adjacent flat walls to permit the container to be easily rolled when placed on its side, and a plurality of flaps connected to the top of said sleeve; a bottom closure for closing the bottom of the container; securing means connected to said bottom closure to secure said bottom closure to the bottom of said sleeve; a top closure having four (4) flat edges and four (4) curved edges and including a plurality of cleats mounted on the top surface of said top closure with said cleats being positioned adjacent to the outer edges of said flat edges of said top closure and adjacent one of said flaps of said sleeve, with said cleats being separated from each other by the curved edges of said top closure; and engaging means for securing said flaps to said cleats when the container has been filled.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein said engaging means is releasable and includes a slot extending across the width of said cleats and wherein said flaps are folded into flush contact with the side and top surfaces of said cleats; and wherein said engaging means includes wire fasteners for passing through said flaps and said slots to hold each flap in flush contact with its corresponding cleat.

3. The container of claim 2 wherein said flaps have holes aligned with each of the ends of each of said slots to permit one end of the wire fasteners to be inserted first through one of said holes, then through said slot and finally through another of said holes.

4. The container of claim 1 wherein said engaging means is releasable and includes a plurality of cleats, with one of said cleats mounted on the top surface of said top closure parallel to each of said cleats of said top closure and cooperating therewith to form a groove; and a plurality of retaining strips with a retaining strip mounted on each of said flaps for insertion into said groove.

5. A container comprising:

(A) a sleeve having four (4) curved walls and four (4) flat side walls formed from a foldable blank having groups of vertical score lines and a plane section separating each group of vertical 'scole lines, each of said groups of vertical scole lines cooperating in the assembled sleeve to form a curved wall surface and each of said plane sections forming a flat side wall,

said sleeve including flaps adjacent the top and bottom edge of each of said flat side walls, and a plurality of flaps at both the top and bottom of each of said curved wall surfaces;

(B) a top end closure and a bottom end closure, each having four (4) straight edges and four (4) curved edges with each pair of adjacent straight edges being joined by a curved edge and said end closures being sized to fit within said sleeve with said straight edges of said end closures in contact with said flat side walls of said sleeve, said flaps at said curved wall surfaces positioned in abutting Contact with the inner surface of each of said end closures in the assembled container; and

(C) engaging means for securing said flaps adjacent the top and bottom edges of said fiat side walls of said sleeve to said end closures.

'6. The container of claim wherein said end closures have a plurality of cleats mounted on their outer surfaces with a cleat positioned parallel with and adjacent each straight edge of said end closure, each of said flaps is folded into flush contact with an adjacent cleat, and said engaging means secure said flaps in fiush contact with said cleats.

7. The container of claim 6 wherein said engaging means includes a slot extending across the width of each of said cleats, and a plurality of tie wires for passing through said flaps and said slots to hold each fiap in flush contact with its corresponding cleat.

8. The container of claim 6 wherein said flaps have holes aligned with the ends of each of said slots to permit one end of said tie wires to be inserted through said holes and said slot.

9. The container of claim 6 wherein said engaging means includes a plurality of cleats mounted on saidend closure with one of the cleats of said engaging means being parallel to each of said cleats of said top closure and cooperating therewith to form a groove, and a plurality of retaining strips mounted on said flaps for insertion into said grooves.

10. The container of claim 9 wherein one of said flaps is folded about three surfaces of each of said retaining strips and a portion of said flap is positioned between said retaining strip and said groove when said retaining strip is inserted into said groove. I

11. The container of claim 9 wherein each of said cleats of said engaging means is mounted on top of a cleat of said end closure with a portion of said cleat of said engaging means extending inwardly of said cleat of said end closure to form a groove on the inside of said cleat of said end closure.

12. A container comprising: a sleeve including fiat side walls and foldable flaps at the top of said side walls; a bottom closure for closing the bottom of the container; means to secure said bottom closure to said sleeve; a removable top closure having straight side edges adjacent the foldable flaps; a plurality of cleats attached on the top surface of said top closure and positioned parallel with and adjacent said straight side edges of said top closure, and releasable engaging means for securing said flaps in flush contact with the cleats to permit the top closure to be secured to the sleeve when the container has been filled and also to permit the top closure to be removed for checking the contents of the container after it has been filled, said releasable engaging means including a slot extending across the width of each of said cleats and a plurality of tie wires for passing through said flaps and said slots to hold each flap in flush contact with its corresponding cleat, with one end of each of said tie wires passing through said flap at a point adjacent the outer side wall surface of said cleat, through said slot and then through said flap at a point adjacent the inner wall surface of said cleat and with the other end of said tie wire extending over the top of the flaps, so that the two ends of each tie wire may be secured together.

13. The container of claim 12 wherein said flaps have holes aligned with the ends of each of said slots to permit one end of the tire wire to be inserted through said holes and said slot.

14. The container of claim 13 wherein each of said cleats includes three (3) slots extending across the width of said cleats and wherein said releasable engaging means includes a tie wire extending through each of said slots.

15. A container comprising: a sleeve including flat side walls and foldable flaps at the top of said side walls; a bottom closure for closing the bottom of the container; means to secure said bottom closure to said sleeve; 21 removable top closure having straight side edges adjacent the foldable flaps; a plurality of cleats attached to the top surface of said top closure and positioned parallel with and adjacent said straight side edges of said top closure, and releasable engaging means for securing said flaps in flush contact with the cleats to permit the top closure to be secured to the sleeve when the container has been filled and also to permit the top closure to be removed for checking the contents of the container after it has been filled, said releasable engaging means including a plurality of cleats, with each of said cleats of said releasable engaging means mounted on the top surface of said top closure parallel to one of said cleats of said top closure and cooperating therewith to form a plurality of grooves; and a plurality of retaining strips mounted on said fiaps for insertion into said grooves.

16. The container of claim 15 wherein said cleats of said releasable engaging means are each attached on said top closure parallel to a cleat of said top closure to form said grooves and wherein a portion of each of said flaps is folded about three (3) surfaces of one of said retaining strips and the portion is positioned between said retaining strip and said groove when said retaining strip is inserted into said groove.

17. The container of claim 15 wherein each of said cleats of said releasable engaging means is mounted on top of one of said cleats of said top closure with a portion of said cleat of said releasable engaging means extending inwardly of said cleat of said top closure to form said groove on the inside of said cleat of said top closure.

18. A container comprising:

(A) a sleeve having four (4) curved walls and four (4) flat side walls formed from a foldable blank having groups of vertical score lines and a plane section separating each group of vertical score lines, each of said groups of vertical score lines cooperating in the assembled sleeve to form a curved wall surface and each of said plane sections forming a flat side wall, said sleeve including flaps adjacent the top and bottom edge of each of said fiat side walls, said plane sections that form said flat side walls extending less than onc-half the distance separating the adjacent opposing flat side walls whereby the length of the curved wall surfaces permits easy rolling of the container about its longitudinal axis;

(B) a top and bottom end closure, each having four (4) straight edges and four (4) curved edges with each pair of adjacent straight edges being joined by a curved edge and said end closures being sized to fit within said sleeve with said straight edges of said end closures in contact with said flat side walls of said sleeve; and

(C) engaging means for securing said flaps of said sleeve to said end closures.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,202,042 10/1916 Fairchild et a1.

1,963,272 6/ l934 Kammert 229-23 2,319,641 5/1943 Speir 229-23 2,726,803 12/1955 Ketler 2292.5 2,822,971 2/1958 Elmendorf 229-23 2,971,686 2/1961 Miihlhoff 229-14 X 2,989,219 6/1961 Overton 229-5.7 2,989,220 6/1961 Overton 2295.7 3,008,623 11/1961 Overton 2295.7 3,167,234 1/1965 Munroe 229-23 DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

